Apr 24, 2017
Adopted by Lei and Jacob Kraup – June 18, 2011
We have been following VAFA on Facebook for quite a while, as well as many other dog rescue groups. After a recent move we finally felt ready to welcome a new member into our family.
When we contacted VAFA to ask about adoption, Farah immediately emailed us back including a puppy’s picture!! That was Momo, though at the time she was called Nina. She was so adorable, we just couldn’t help falling love with her. She became our little girl from the moment we saw her!
Momo has big paws for her age, and we are sure that we have a big girl on our hands. Looking at her growing every day is both wonderful and amazing.
We are very grateful to the lovely volunteers and kind family who helped to bring the young Momo from Iran to Vancouver. After much anticipation, she finally arrived on June 18th, 2011.
Momo settled down very quickly. She was a bit shy at first but her curiosity brought her true personality out in no time. She melts the heart of every single person she meets. Everyone asks us what kind of dog she is. We always tell people that we wonder about that too.
The first time when she met Munster (her furry friend in Vancouver), she was timid and tucked her tail down between her legs. Luckily, Munster is a very friendly dog, and soon they played like the best of friends (Momo slept very well that night). Now she has no more fear meeting other dogs; in fact, going to doggie park is one of her favourite things ever. Momo is such a bundle of joy. She can be cute, cuddly, silly, stubborn, and aloof, but she is always a sweetheart.
Probably the biggest drama in Momo’s new life in Canada came as a result of her decision to eat a rock a few days after she arrived. It was pointed out during her first visit to the vet. There was talk of x-rays and maybe even surgery; we were all very worried. Luckily, as soon as we left the vet, Momo got rid of the rock the natural way. It was a relief for all of us, and Momo felt a whole lot better too.
There has not been a single moment that we regretted letting Momo into our lives. We’re pretty sure the feeling is mutual.
Lei & Jacob
Apr 24, 2017
Adopted by Siamack & Nasrin Yeganeh – March 29, 2011
We feel so lucky to have adopted a puppy from Vafa Animal Shelter. It’s hard to find the words to express the joy this little one has brought in to our lives.
And it would not have happened if I had not responded to your need for travelers from Iran to agree to bring a Vafa dog back to US with them. There was four of us.
Thunder (Caramel) was the one that came with my aunt ahead of me. My husband, Siamack, was to foster him. Well Siamack says he fell in love with the little bundle of joy at first sight especially when he learned that Caramel was only two days old when he was abandoned. He waited for me to come back and make the final decision.
I can’t tell you the feeling I had when I met Thunder for the first time. My heart just melted when I looked at his eyes and I knew right then that I am not able to give him up.
Siamack told me that he is like tsunami, and he is! He chews on everything and specially loves my mom’s socks. He doesn’t like any one to take a nap and teases his older brother, Shazdeh. He is very playful and funny and adorable. We love him and can’t imagine our lives without him.
Apr 24, 2017
Adopted by Katie & Matt Allen-Goebel on May 22, 2011 – San Pablo, California, USA
Lily has been with us now for about 3 months. When she first arrived, Lily attempted to push around her older brother, Scooter, stealing his treats, not allowing him to lay on his bed.
So, my husband, Matt, and I spent hours petting and treating both dogs at the same time so that Lily began to associate Scooter with good things and not competition for our affection.
Now, she and Scooter play in the yard and we have found them curled up on the same bed together more than once. Every morning when they go out in the yard, they bark at the same squirrel, even when he’s not in the tree or anywhere to be found.
They spend hours together in the evenings, chasing each other, barking at dogs that are being walked by our fence line and generally making each other very happy.
Lily has recently graduated from Basic Obedience and we are pleased to have a happy and better behaved dog in the house. The obedience training seemed to solidify to Lily that we are her people. She is one of the happiest dogs I have ever seen, always smiling with her tail wagging.
Roxana’s story was originally posted on our pages on Feb 25, 2011:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150108842938522
Apr 24, 2017
Adopted by an Iranian family in Washington, DC area – Feb 27, 2011
If a by-passer looks through the windows of our house around ten a.m. she or he will witness my three year old son walking on his toes, holding a peanut butter sandwich over his head as a large black and white dog cruises next to him. Later in the afternoon the same dog will be chasing gently after my daughter and my son as they play tag.
That dog is Ms. Patti. We adopted her when she was a few months old through Vafa with the help of our beloved Farank. I have never seen a funnier dog. She is hesitant to get close to anything new, even a new set of floral pillow covers become a game of hide and seek to her. Still, she is a smart dog. Rice is perhaps the only cuisine that makes her seek it like a beloved at arm’s length. After all the scent of her land is deeply entwined with her as it is with her adopters.
Here’s Patti’s original Story which we posted on our facebook page in January 2011:
Patti was a tiny female puppy covered in mange that would not stay quiet for even a minute. She continued to bark and yelp first few days of her arrival.
Little by little, she has let go of her past. After fully recovering from mange she has turned in to a beauty that wins every one’s heart.
We sent her off to the shelter a couple of months ago but she tried getting too friendly with the wrong dog, big boy Sohrab, and ended up hurt in one eye which sent her right back to quarantine.
Patti greets all the visitors at the quarantine and even gives kisses to those whom she knows.
She makes friends easily and plays well with other dogs. At times that one of the dogs in being scolded for something, she goes and sits with them to make them feel better.
Apr 24, 2017
Adopted by Gretta – London, Ontario, Canada – Oct 16, 2011
Bennie (originally known as Bambi):
If it weren’t for our dear friend and supporter Soheila – who for years have been helping local canada rescue groups with transport of the dogs, fostership and more – we would not have had the pleasure of meeting Vicky who helped us place Bambi (now Bennie) in his forever loving home.
I just received this wonderful note from her which I would like to share with you all:
“Gretta has officially adopted Bennie (Bambi) so he now has his own forever family and how lucky he is. I have personally known Gretta for about 16 years and we have been involved in many rescues together.
She is a very caring woman and a true gem for the animals. We were lucky indeed that she was in a position to adopt Bennie.
I have attached a couple of photos I took when we were out walking along the river at the weekend. One is with Gretta and one of her other dogs, Tessa. I often go for long walks with my dogs and Gretta and her dogs. It is now Fall in Canada so Bennie is getting to experience walks amongst all the fall leaves – he loves to play in the leaves. Soon he will have snow to play in!!
I asked Gretta to write something about Bennie and this is what she wrote:
Bennie now lives with his siblings Tessa and Willie (dogs), Maggie and Millie (cats) and Gretta (human) – so he has lots of company which he loves as he does not like to be alone. He has a very busy life with three walks a day and now has many friends in the neighbourhood (human and dogs).
Everyone is amazed when they hear his story and how far he has travelled. Bennie enjoys car rides and outings to the park and especially trips to the beach (our equivalent of the beach which is at the Great Lakes, not the ocean!).
He especially loves to chase shore birds (who just laugh and fly off!), wading in the water and cavorting in the sand with Tessa and Willie. Bennie loves his house and backyard and is a very happy little dog.
All the best Farah.
Vicky
Bambi’s original story was first posted on facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/meet-bambi
Apr 24, 2017
Lucy was first fostered by Douraghy family on June 18, 2011 — and adopted on July 31, 2011
“We had a dog who unfortunately got cancer and we were all very sad because the vet told us that the best thing to do was to say goodbye to her and put her to sleep. My two sisters and I were very sad and we could not forget her.
When Faranak (from Vafa) called us and asked us to foster Lucy because her original owner had fallen sick and unable to care for her, we thought it would be nice to foster her for a little while as we were so sad from our recent loss.
In the beginning, Lucy seemed a little scared, but it was obvious that she was a very kind hearted dog.
All of us had fun getting to know her (including our two cats) and pretty soon we knew that we would not be able to give her back to anyone. We have had Lucy for about 4 months now.
She is a very fun dog to play with and she is also very affectionate. I have taught her to sit, shake hands, lay down and roll over and she loves trying to please me. Lucy always wants to do whatever we are doing, and gets sad when we go to school and has to stay at home.
I love coming home because there always is a big happy dog waiting for me when I get home. Lucy is great with our cats and always wants to play with them, but they don’t like that too much and sometimes end up hissing at her.
We love Lucy very much and she will be part of our family her whole life! 🙂
Darian Douraghy (14 years old)
We also received a few words from Lucy’s original foster mom in Iran:
Lucy was the first puppy from Vafa shelter that I’ve fostered for a period longer than usual. She came to us, bloody, belly-stitched and so small that she was been carried in a banana card board.
She was dormant, quiet & defenseless. We, all, fell in love with her.
She removed all of my worries about fostering Vafa’s puppies. I’m very happy that she lives with a good family.Thank you all especially you dear Faranak.
Armine Charik
Lucy’s original story posted on our facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=470816738521
